The present invention relates to a new, novel and distinct variety of peach tree, Prunus persica which has been denominated varietally as xe2x80x98BURPEACHEIGHTxe2x80x99. The xe2x80x98BURPEACHEIGHTxe2x80x99 Peach Tree produces an exceptionally high quality peach which is mature for harvesting and shipment in the late season. Still further, another unique aspect of the xe2x80x98BURPEACHEIGHTxe2x80x99 Peach Tree is that it yields a very firm peach which exhibits high eating quality as compared with the other peach varieties which ripen at approximately the same time of the season.
The present variety of peach tree was derived from an ongoing program of fruit and nut tree breeding. The purpose of this program is to improve the commercial quality of deciduous fruit and nut varieties and rootstocks by creating and releasing selections of prunus, malus and regia species. To this end, we make both controlled and hybrid crosses each year in order to produce seedling populations from which improved progenies are evaluated and selected. The seedling xe2x80x98BURPEACHEIGHTxe2x80x99 was originated by us in 1994, and chosen from among a population of seedlings which resulted from a controlled cross of the xe2x80x98Carnivalxe2x80x99 Peach Tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,144) which was used as the pollen parent, and the peach seedling A48-70, of unknown parentage, and which was used as the seed parent. The resulting seed from this cross was planted in the spring of 1995. The new variety was selected from among seedlings growing in the experimental orchards of The Burchell Nursery, INC. located near the city of Fowler, Calif., County of Fresno, in the Central San Joaquin Valley. The Peach Tree xe2x80x98BURPEACHEIGHTxe2x80x99 was subsequently marked and noted as having exceptional characteristics. It has been consecutively evaluated during the 1996-1999 fruiting seasons. After the 1996 season, xe2x80x98BURPEACHEIGHTxe2x80x99 was selected for advanced evaluation and repropagation.
Scionwood from the original seedling of the Peach Tree, xe2x80x98BURPEACHEIGHTxe2x80x99 was collected and grafted in the evaluation plot in the experimental orchard previously described and onto two different and existing xe2x80x98Nemaredxe2x80x99 (unpatented) peach rootstocks in February of 1997. The resulting propagation (fruit and scion) have been subsequently evaluated for the 1997, 1998 and 1999 growing seasons. These evaluations clearly demonstrated that the repropagated trees are true to the fruiting and vegetative characteristics of the original seedling in all observable aspects.
The xe2x80x98BURPEACHEIGHTxe2x80x99 peach tree is characterized as to novelty by producing fruit which has a mid-season ripening date, and which is further of high quality, firm, and has an attractive exterior coloration. In this regard, the present variety of peach tree bears freestone fruit which are ripe for commercial harvesting on approximately August 30 to September 7. These harvesting dates are approximately one week earlier than the harvesting date of the commercial freestone peach variety xe2x80x98Carnivalxe2x80x99 Peach Tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,144). The present variety distinguishes itself from the xe2x80x98Carnivalxe2x80x99 Peach Tree by producing fruit having a brighter and more extensive exterior coloration, and has firmer flesh.